That Christianity, as to-day presented by the orthodox, is far
different from the Christianity promulgated by the early fathers, few
are so blinded as to doubt. Christianity, like all other religions,
came not into the world full-grown, but from the simple conceptions of
its early followers became gradually elaborated by the introduction of
pagan forms and customs until it supplanted its early rivals and gave
its adherents a compact and solid theology not very different from
that of its predecessors. However, before considering the genealogy
of Christianity, or its heirlooms from paganism, let us turn our
attention to what were presumably the beginnings of the religious
views of mankind.
Probably the true source of that human characteristic which is defined
as the religious instinct and which is supposed to be an elevating and
moral agent, is to be found in the superstition which originated in
fear of the unknown. The first ages of human life were so devoted to
the animal needs that little attention was given to anything else, but
later the craving for protection and help from some power greater than
himself led primitive man to look about him for something to sustain
and aid him in his struggle for existence. Surrounded by natural
phenomena of which he could give no explanation satisfactory to his
experience, he came to the conclusion that he was in an environment
permeated with bodiless intelligences who governed these matters by
supernatural power. Awed to fear by the inexplicable workings of
nature, he sought to propitiate the spiritual agencies by bribes,
and he did all things for them which he thought would be agreeable
to them to keep them in good-natured interest or indifference toward
him. And, naturally, he considered that what would be pleasing to
himself would be pleasing to them. Therefore, his offerings and his
conduct towards these spirits were such as he would have desired shown
toward himself. Death and its imitation, sleep, being the greatest
mysteries confronting him, he naturally began to consider the spirits
of the dead, with whom he seemed to have intercourse in his dreams,
as being influential factors in his career; and thus originated
ancestor-worship with its highly-developed rites and sacrifices,
which in a modified form still exists in the Roman church in the
practice of reading masses for the souls of the dead. At the same
time, noticing the great benefits derived from the warmth of the
sun, to whose rays he owed his subsistence and whose glorious and
awful presence was constantly before him, man began to feel grateful
to that mighty power which was the source of all his welfare, and,
appreciating that all terrestrial life depended upon it, he came to
recognize it as the great creative power.
From such superstitious fear and weakness of primitive man arose
all those religious feelings which the pious call instinctive and
which have, through progress, evolution, and elaboration, controlled
certain races, and from whose union have arisen all the religious
systems that have ever flourished. Owing to the varied influences
of climate, environment, and racial character, the various forms
of worship predominating in different geographical situations have
naturally assumed different characteristics, but, when stripped
of their surrounding, and often enveloping rites, ceremonies,
and superficialities they may all be traced to the above-mentioned
fundamental sources.
It is my intention to show, as briefly as possible, that in the
Christianity of to-day we have nothing new nor of vital difference
from what has always been taught and believed in the many epochs of
the past. In common with all religious systems, Christianity has a
hero--the personified sun-god of all time--who is of obscure origin,
who passes through various episodes common to all, who is finally
executed, and who rises once more to renewed power. In our perusal of
the subject, we shall first consider the life of Jesus as taught by
the Christian church; secondly, the dogmas affecting the source of
his power and the results of his influence; and, thirdly, the rites
and ceremonies with which his worship is performed.